Want to make spaghetti bolognese like Gordon Ramsay? It took some research and testing to find out how he approaches this classic dish, but the results are incredible.
Naturally, when researching the question, “how does Gordon Ramsay make bolognese?”, I headed over to my cookbook shelf, but as far as I can tell, the chef never put spaghetti bolognese in any of his cookbooks. Theres a recipe for a quick sausage meat bolognese with tagliatelle in Gordon Ramsays Ultimate Cookery Course, but no standard bolognese – with or without spaghetti!
Now, you might argue that theres no spaghetti bolognese documented because its not an authentic Italian dish. Spaghetti, you see, is thin and round, meaning it doesnt hold sauce well and isnt considered the correct pasta to serve with a meat sauce, also known as a ragù. However, spaghetti bolognese is of course a very popular dish in Britain and appears on dinner tables throughout the UK, so I was not to be deterred.
A bit of Googling and it turned out that in 2008, Gordon Ramsay did a cookalong on Channel 4 and during an episode, he cooked…bolognese. Hurrah! But there was a problem. While chances are the recipe did appear somewhere online during the shows broadcast, it seems to have since been lost to the sands of time.
Not to be deterred, I sat down with a pen, paper and my beady little eye (well-honed as a recipe developer) and watched the cookalong video closely. I took note of everything used in the recipe, estimated the quantities, scribbled down every step of the method Chef Ramsay used and then went about testing and retesting the sauce to make sure it hit the spot. It does!
There are a few really interesting elements in the way Gordon Ramsay makes spaghetti bolognese. For example, when Italians make a meaty sauce (ragù) for pasta, they usually start with a soffritto, which involves finely chopping carrot, onion and celery and sweating slowly in olive oil to produce a rich, delicious base for the sauce.
In this recipe however, Gordon Ramsay skips the celery and instead grates the carrot and onion, meaning the pieces are really fine and sweat down over a medium heat in a couple of minutes. It will no doubt have Italians throwing their hands in the air, but its a clever trick if youre in a hurry.
From there on, things return to a slightly more standard approach. We add garlic, oregano, lean beef mince, tomato puree, red wine and, of course, tomatoes. Each stage involves cooking off to ensure theres no metallic acidity from the tomatoes.
Theres a dash of Worcestershire sauce in this recipe which, while not traditionally, authentically Italian, is quite common in British versions of bolognese and helps to develop a lovely deep flavour.
After simmering the sauce, Chef Ramsay adds a final ingredient that may shock British and Italian alike. So, what is this final, surprise ingredient? Its milk! Ramsay explains that it helps make the sauce silky. It also helps cut through any remaining acidity in the sauce.
Ive made this sauce three times now, carefully ensuring the balance is correct, and I have to say I take my hat off to Gordon, its a great way to make spaghetti bolognese.
I must stress once more, Gordons exact recipe doesnt seem to exist in written form anywhere on the internet and he doesnt give quantities in the 2008 video. This is my best attempt to make spaghetti bolognese Gordon Ramsay style, staying as true to his advice as possible and using my cooking knowledge to fill in the gaps to produce the best spaghetti bolognese.
Give it a stir then add the garlic, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Sweat the vegetables off, stirring regularly for around 2 minutes until soft (almost paste-like) but not browned.
Make a well by pushing the veggies to the sides of the pan. This allows the heat to get right to the mince once you add it.
Stir for 30 seconds to allow the puree to cook off a little – that gets rid of the metallic taste, then stir everything together.
Now is a good time to put your pasta on to cook in plenty of boiling, salted water. I tend to cook for about 8 minutes, but your pasta may take longer. I tend to aim for 1-2 minutes below whats recommended on the pack as I like it with plenty of bite.
Simmer your bolognese for 5-6 minutes until it takes on a darker, richer colour and the tomatoes have no metallic taste.
Is this spaghetti bolognese healthy?
This recipe is relatively high in carbohydrates (mainly thanks to the pasta), high in protein and relatively low in saturated fat.
Its suitable to enjoy as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
How long does spaghetti bolognese keep?
Properly stored in a sealed container in the fridge, your spaghetti bolognese should keep for 3 to 5 days.
In the freezer, it should keep for up to 3 months.
Cookalong Live | How To Make Bolognaise | Gordon Ramsay on Channel 4
FAQ
What is the difference between Italian Bolognese and American Bolognese?